Multiple compartment container



July 31, 1962 L. R. SCHAEFER MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 31, 1960 jjzbmibf July 31, 1962 L. R. SCHAEFER MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 51, 1960 United States Patent M 3,047,202 MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT CGNTAINER Louis R. Schaefer, Quincy, IlL, assignor to Packaging Corporation of America, Dover, Del., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 31, 1960, Ser. No. 18,989 2 (Ilairns. (Cl. 229--Z9) The present invention relates to a multiple compartment carton and, more particularly, to a folding carton of the class generally employed in packaging and shipping quantities of eggs and other fragile articles.

The present invention relates to the type of carton of which the cartons shown in the Cormier Patent No. 2,134,860, of November 1, 1938, and No. 2,766,924, of October 16, 1956, are examples.

Cartons of this general type are usually manufactured by providing a body member in the form of a single sheet of material scored to form the longitudina} walls, bottom, and cover, the wall portions having a plurality of slots for the reception of a plurality of transverse partition members. As these cartons come from the machine which manufactures them, the transverse partition members lie flat against the side Walls of the box. in order to open the box so that cells may be provided for the reception of the eggs or other articles, the cover members are spread apart, thereby also spreading the side walls outwardly open until the side walls abut against upstanding lugs or projections on the ends of the partition members.

In thus spreading the side wall portions apart the cross partitions are moved from their position lying flatwise against opposite side walls of the carton and are disposed transversely of the side walls and the central double wall partitions, as is fully explained in Patent No. 2,766,924, and as are illustrated in Figure 1 of that patent. This method of setting the carton up is well known in the art.

The structures of the prior art patents, such as those illustrated and others of that general type, are such that it is possible to perform the setup operation. However, in order that this may be accomplished, the speed of operation is limited. It is, of course, desirable that the setup operation be performed as quickly as possible, but it has been found that when side walls are moved apart rapidly there is danger of the side walls riding over the tops of the upstanding lugs or projections at the ends of the cross wall and thus moving to a position beyond that which the side walls should properly occupy in the setup position. It is then necessary manually to move such side wall portions toward the center of the carton and over the upstanding lug or projection on the cross portion aligned with the wall slot at that place. Such malfunctioning not only greatly delays the setup operation but there is also danger of breaking the cross portion lug with resultant damage to the carton stability.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a carton structure of this type which will permit of the more rapid set up of the carton without danger of the side walls riding up beyond and over the projecting side lugs of the cross partition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carton structure of the type mentioned which will minimize, if not entirely eliminate, the danger of tearing or breaking the upstanding lug portions of the cross partitions, even though the side walls of the carton be moved rapidly away from the central longitudinal walls of the carton.

In the packaging of eggs, one must pack eggs which vary considerably in size. In the cartons as heretofore constructed, the side wall portions of the carton, which extend between the adjacent cross walls, are relatively 3,047,202 Patented July 31', 1962 stilf and unyielding. Hence, the sides of the cell in the carton are not well adapted to accommodate the larger size eggs. If the larger size eggs are placed in the typical carton with such stitl side wall portions, there is a tendency for them to wedge into place. tight fit, it was difficult to remove the eggs from the cells. In removing the eggs, a person normally does so by inserting the thumb and index fingers upon the 0pposite upper portions of the eggs, but, due to the lack of space, the thumb and index finger cannot readily be inserted far enough to obtain a good grip on the egg in the cell so that removal of the eggs becomes difiicult, particularly with respect to the larger size egg.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carton structure which will facilitate the removal of eggs from the cells. It is also an object of the invention to provide a carton structure which will yield to a certain extent and thus better accommodate the larger size eggs.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a carton structure which will accomplish one or more of the above objects and which will be simple in construction and which can be produced by means of conventional carton-forming apparatus.

Again it is an object of the invention to provide a carton structure wherewith to accomplish one or more of the above-specified objects and which will not add apreciably to the cost of the carton.

A further object of the invention is to provide a carton structure, the nature of which is such that it can be set up in the same way in which cartons of this type have been heretofore set up, so that it is not necessary to learn a new technique in order to perform the setup operation.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become obvious during the following disclosure and by reference to the drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the body member of the blank which forms the wall portions and cover of the carton;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of the carton blank of FIG. 1 after the cross partitions have been inserted through aligned slots in the folded confronting wall portions of the container blank of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the carton in the form shown in FIG. 2 is set up in order to provide the cells for the reception of the eggs or other objects;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view substantially on the line 4,4 of FIG. 3, illustrating the manner in which portions of the carton side wall are permitted to move outwardly beyond the normal plane of the carton side walls when the carton side walls are being spread apart as illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the carton showing the eggs positioned in the cells of the carton with the cover portions in closed position;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a part of a setup carton viewed in the direction of the arrows on the line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a carton filled with eggs, the cover portions being open and illustrating the manner in which an egg is removed from the cell by insertion of the thumb and forefinger of a persons hand;

FIG. 8 is a transverse vertical section through the carton of FIG. 7, but on a large scale, better to illustrate the functioning of certain portions of the side wall of the carton when an egg is being removed from a cell; and

FIG. 9 is a face view of the carton in the condition in which it appears when arranged for storage or shipment and which may, for example, be :then in the condition illustrated in FIG. 65 of Patent No. 2,905,065

Because of the which discloses one type of machine and method for producing cartons of this kind.

In the drawings FIG. 1 shows a blank for the body member A of the carton which may, for example, be generally like the blank, a fragmentary part of which is shown in FIG. 3 of the Cormier Patent No. 2,766,924. This, it should be understood, is by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. The blank is provided with a longitudinal center score line 1 and a plurality of spaced score lines 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 extending on each side of and parallel to the center score line 1. The score lines 1 and 2 define between themselves two walls 7 which are adapted to form the longitudinal partition of the carton, while the inner and outer bottom portions 8 and 9, respectively, of the carton are defined by the score lines 2 and 3 and 3 and 4, respectively.

p The score lines 4 and define between themselves the side walls 10 of the carton, while the score lines 5 and 6 define between themselves the covers 11 of the carton, from each of which depends along line 6 the closing nap 12 adapted to extend inwardly within the carton when the same is closed.

The body member A is provided with three sets of slots which extend longitudinally along the blank, while the slots themselves are transversely disposed and aligned with each other in rows of threes. The slots 13 of the center set of slots are made in the walls 7 and extend across the center score line 1 an equal distance on both sides thereof and short of the score lines 2. The slots 14 of the two lateral sets of slots are made in bottom portions 9 and side walls 10 and extend across the fold lines 4.

Each transverse or cross partition member 15, according to the present disclosure which is by way of illustration, has a substantially straight top edge '16 with a central upper notch 17 and is provided at its outer ends with upwardly extending lugs 18. The outer edges of the lugs 18 merge with the side edges 19 of the partition the lower rounded corners 20 merge with the lower edges 21. The edges 21 have notches 22 and are extended by the upwardly inclined edge portions 23 which converge towards a bottom center notch 24 which is aligned with the upper center notch 17. The portion of the partition member 15 extending between the notches 24 and 17 forms the web 25 of the partition separating the same into symm'etricalwings 26 adapted to extend on each side of the longitudinal partition 7 of the carton.

To assemble the carton, the body member A is first folded longitudinally along the center fold line 1 whereby the portions of said body members extending on each side of the line 1 are in contact with each other. The partitions 15 are then inserted through the aligned sets of side slots 14. After the partition members 15 have been inserted, the center partition walls 7 of the carton are forced upwardly with respect to the side walls, causing the body member to be folded along score lines 2, 3, and 4 and causing reversal in the direction of the fold along score line 1 which now becomes the top edge of the longitudinal partition of the carton.

gage the center slots 13 until the top edge 1 of the center longitudinal partition 15 extends well above the top edges 16 of the transverse partitions 15. The carton in the position shown in FIGURE 2 has the cross or transverse partitions 15 locked in place.

When the assembled carton is folded for storage or shipment purposes, the side walls are fiat against the center partition of the carton and the transverse partitions are caused to lie fiat against said side walls, as illustrated in FIG. 9.

The body A of the carton, as shown in FIG. 1, is illustrative of cartons of the type with which the present invention is concerned.

The novel feature is one presently to be described.

Arranged in a row adjacent the top margin of each During this .movement, the web '25 of the partition members 15 enside wall 10 of the carton is a plurality of tongue-tabs 30. Since the tongue-tabs are all alike, a description of one will suffice for all. As here shown, the tongue-tab 30 is cut through along lines comprising upwardly converging sides 3-1 which merge into the upper arcuate cut 32. As is clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, the upper end of the slot'14 in the side wall extends part Way into the lower portion of the tongue-tab 30. When the side walls 10 of the carton are moved outwardly relative to the center walls in the setting up operation, the upstanding lugs or projections 18 on the ends of the cross portion engage the outer side of the tongue-tab. Thus in a rapid or vigorous separating movement of the side walls 10 relative to the central wall portion, the side walls adjacent the tongue-tab are enabled to move outwardly beyond the plane of the upper portions of the tonguetab 30, as is best illustrated in FIG. 4.

This construction permits the side walls of the carton to be pulled apart vigorously and rapidly and yet, because of the yielding action which the tongue-tabs provide, the side walls do not ride up and over the top of the lug or projecting portion of the cross partition, as frequently is the case with cartons of this type which do not have the tongue-tab construction.

When the carton has been assembled and the tension due to the outward separation of the side walls is relieved, the side wall portions return substantially to the plane of the adjacent tongue-tabs, outward movement of which was restrained because of engagement with the lugs 18 of the cross partition. It is thought that the value and importance of the tongue-tabs 30 in the setting up operation of a carton of this type will be appreciated by persons skilled in this art, without further comment.

While the tongue-tabs 30 are shown as having an arcu-ate top with flaring side cuts and while that is the preferred construction because it facilitates manufacture and also relative movement between the upper portions of the tongue-tab and the adjacent portions of the side walls 10, the tongue-tabs may assume other shapes which will permit them to function in the same general way.

Function of T ongue-T abs in Egg Removal The tongue-tabs 30 also serve a further useful function in addition to that explained in connection with the setting up of the carton, as before explained. A usual way to remove an egg from one of the cells in the carton is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. The thumb and index finger are projected into the cell upon opposite sides of the egg between the central vertical walls of the carton and the side wall. In cartons which do not embody the tongue-tab feature it is difiicult, especially with the larger eggs, to insert the fingers far enough down into the cell to obtain a good grip on the egg to be removed. However, the tongue-tab structure provides an amount of yield which permits portions of the side wall to give and move outward, thus providing more space for the accommodation of the fingers. In this way egg removal is facilitated.

Further Comments An additional feature of the structure disclosed is that the yielding side wall which the tongue-tab provides also tends to prevent tearing or shearing of the lug portions 18 of the cross partitions in the setting up operation, which sometimes happens when the side walls are pulled rapidly away from the center walls and do not ride up and over the lugs 18.

It will be seen that the novel feature, though simple in form and readily producible in accordance with machinery and methods generally employed in the manufacture of cartons of this general type, provides a number of important advantages.

I claim:

1. A folded carton of sheet material comprising an elongated center wall provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending elongated slots, a pair of elongated side walls disposed on opposite sides of said center wall each side wall having the lower marginal portion thereof foldably connected to the lower marginal portion of said center wall, each side wall being provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending elongated slots, corresponding slots in said center and side walls being substantially transversely aligned relative to said center wall, the upper end limit of each side wall slot terminating within a tongue-like tab formed in the side wall and adapted to be automatically struck out from the remainder of said side wall when the upper marginal portion of said side Wall is moved outwardly beyond a predetermined distance from said center wall, and a plurality of partition members disposed within the transversely aligned slots in said center and side walls and cooperating with said Walls to form rows of article accommodating cavities, each partition member having an elongated upper marginal portion provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced abutments, each abutment being disposed said predetermined distance from said center wall and in interlocking engagement with one of said tongue-like tabs; the portions of each side wall intermediate the adjoining tongue-like tabs being yieldable outwardly from said center wall beyond said predetermined distance.

2. The folded carton recited in claim 1 including cover Walls foldably connected to the upper marginal portions of said side walls and adapted to overlie the article-accommodating cavities; said tongue-like tabs in a given side wall being adapted to normally assume a coplanar relation with the remainder of said given side wall when the cover wall connected to said given side wall assumes the position overlying said cavities.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

